Modern multi-use space dedicated to sport and spectacle and with top-of-the-range technical facilities to satisfy the most demanding and cutting-edge spectacles. The ground that the Movistar Arena (formerly known as WiZink Center and Sports Palace) is currently located on, in the Salamanca district, started as agriculture land and later became a bullring.
On October 14th 1934, the last bullfighting event was held as 24 hours later, the historic bullring was torn down. Work on the Las Ventas bullring had already begun. From that time until the start of construction on the place, the place became farmland.
In May 1952 the creation of a Sports Palace was promoted, as in all other European capitals, and it was considered appropriate to build it on the land previously occupied by the bullring on the road to Aragon. In January 1956 the National Sport Delegation selected the draft presented by the architects José Soteras and Lorenzo García Barbón, designers of the Sports Palace of Barcelona which was inaugurated in 1955 to hold the Mediterranean Games of that year. It was inaugurated on January 8th of 1960 with a formal multi-sport act where, among others, the cyclists Guillermo Timoner and Martín Bahamontes participated.
On June 28th 2001 the Palace suffered a fire and was practically destroyed, and had to be rebuilt. During this work it was decided to maintain the structure of the façade in Plaza de Salvador Dalí and Avenida de Felipe II as well as the rear part on Fuente del Berro street. It was finally inaugurated on February 16th 2005. The seating capacity was increased and has capacity for a maximum of 16,000 spectators.
Basketball is currently the main impetus of the complex, whereby it is home for the Real Madrid and Estudiantes teams, and hosts numerous international championships in many other sports.
It is also the venue for concerts by first-rate artists and other important events.
The Movistar Arena can boast of being the fifth venue in the world that sold most tickets in 2022 and the second in Europe. In 2021, it was the multi-purpose venue with the most activity in Europe. This is indicated by the “Top 200 World Arenas” ranking, which is published at the end of each year by the prestigious international music magazine, Pollstar, with ticket sales for all such venues worldwide.
The publication only counts music events, but it must also be taken into account that the Movistar Arena is one of the multi-purpose venues with the most sporting activities in Europe and it is a basketball icon on the continent.
La Sala at the Movistar Arena
From 19 May 2023, the Movistar Arena has a new concert hall, which host musical events for up to 1,000 people.
It is located on the same level as the main floor with independent access from Calle Goya on the corner of Fuente del Berro, more specifically Gate 36. Given its acoustic soundproofing, concerts can be held simultaneously with those held on the main floor of the Movistar Arena.
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